Related Articles

Ignoring harassment complaints opens a company up to the possibility of government investigations and court battles. Even a complaint that is investigated but mishandled can put a company out of business. While it may be hard for you to believe that this type of behavior is happening in your company, you should take all harassment complaints seriously and investigate to protect both yourself and your business.

Initial Reaction

Listen carefully and sympathetically to the employee making the complaint. It probably was very difficult for her to come to you with this information. Treat the complainer with compassion and respect. She may be afraid that this complaint will cost her job. Try to be understanding and inform your employee that you take the complaint seriously. Do not retaliate against the complainant in any way, such as changing her job responsibilities, unless she requests it. To do otherwise is against the law.

Interview the Victim

In the case of a sexual harassment complaint, it is helpful if the investigator is the same gender as the victim. Ask the victim to fill out, date and sign a harassment complaint form with the following information: date, time and place of incident, employees involved, names of witnesses and the actual complaint. In the absence of a form, the investigator should note all of the above information in writing. Ask the victim for details about what was done or said, who did it and when. Is there documentation such as notes or emails? Some good interview questions for the victim include asking about the harassment affecting her job performance, whether she knows if anyone else has been harassed, does she know of anyone who might have additional information and can she continue to perform hercurrent duties. Document the information you receive.

Interview the Alleged Harasser

Inform the employee that a complaint has been made and that you are required by law to follow through with an investigation. Ask the alleged harasser to respond to the complaint. If the alleged harasser insists the complaint is false, ask why the victim might lie. Ask for any relevant information the alleged harasser can provide to you. Document the results of the interview.

Interview Witnesses

If the victim or alleged harasser states there were witnesses to the incident, you are required to interview them. Because an employee may have no knowledge about the complaint, provide a short introduction before questioning the witness. Ask the witness what he saw or heard, if he has witnessed similar behavior in the past and if he knows if there are any other employees that might have helpful information. Take notes of all statements made.

Final Determination

You must take appropriate and immediate action after interviewing all parties. In a he said/she said type of situation, it may not be possible to determine the validity of the complaint, but you should inform the alleged victim that you took her complaint seriously and will do so in the future. On the other hand, if due to written documentation and/or witness statements it is clear that harassment did take place, you must take action. Depending on the severity of the harassment -- was it a misunderstanding or repeated and unwanted physical contact? -- employer action can range from a warning to termination.

About the Author

Diane Stevens' professional experience started in 1970 with a computer programming position. Beginning in 1985, running her own business gave her extensive experience in personal and business finance. Her writing appears on Orbitz's Travel Blog and other websites. Stevens holds a Bachelor of Science in physics from the State University of New York at Albany.